Have you ever set your alarm the night before with the intention of waking up early only to repeatedly hit the snooze button in the morning? You’re not alone. We all have different reasons for wanting to wake up early and most of us struggle to.
The benefits of getting a good night’s sleep and getting up early are endless. Getting good sleep and rising early gives you a kick-start for the day ahead and gives you more hours to get things done. A significant benefit of being well rested and waking up early is reduced stress levels, as it will help you avoid rushing upon waking late [1]. This also allows you time to think clearly and start your day with optimism and positivity, which often stays with you throughout the day [1]. Another benefit of waking up early is the sooner you get up the sooner you can do what you love doing.
The current research suggests that restriction of sleep can cause you to feel hungrier, which can lead to weight gain [2]. This research also highlights that not getting enough sleep can increase insulin resistance, elevate the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity [2]. So, it is important to optimize your sleep duration and quality alongside following a low carb diet.
Top tips for waking up earlier and refreshed:
Go to bed earlier
This doesn’t sound appealing but if we want to wake up earlier we must also go to bed earlier. Try going to bed 15 minutes earlier and then once you are used to this try adding another 15 minutes on.
Get out of bed as soon as you wake up
Don’t reach for that snooze button and risk oversleeping. Snoozing can also make you feel tired, groggy and the furthest from wanting to get up and out.
Move your alarm clock
If you put it on the other side of the room it will force you to get out of bed to switch it off. Then before you realise it you will be awake and ready for the day ahead.
Have a reason for waking up early
You will feel more motivated to wake up if have a reason to (e.g. needing to prepare lunch for the day or go to the gym). Try to set yourself goals for the next day the night before.
Check your alarm
The sound of alarm can really affect your morning routine. Loud sirens can increase stress, anxiety, heart rate and blood pressure. This can be prevented by choosing calmer more relaxing sounds that will wake you up gradually and leave you feeling soothed instead of startled.
So, whatever you are waking up early for I hope these simple tips help you to become well rested and the master of your mornings.
References
- Lallukka, T., Sivertsen, B., Kronholm, E., Bin, Y. S., Øverland, S., and Glozier, N. (2018) ‘Association of sleep duration and sleep quality with the physical, social, and emotional functioning among Australian adults’. Sleep Health 4 (2), 194-200
- Reutrakul, S., and Cauter, E. V. (2018) ‘Sleep influences on obesity, insulin resistance, and risk of type 2 diabetes’. Metabolism available from <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2018.02.010> [online]
